Type: Trail, Loop
Difficulty: 9 / 10
Altitude: 10,305 ft
Elev. Gain/Loss: 3,441 ft / 3,441 ft
Dog Friendly: Yes
Jog-Stroller Friendly: No
Filed Under: Cycling, Hiking, Running
This is a great alpine run that offers great exposure, wildlife and historical sites. With Montezuma's rich mining heritage, you will run past several of most prosperous mines in the Rocky Mountains' silver boom. On your run, take a few minutes to stop and think how hard the lives of the miners were. This is a harsh place, and if you are (un)lucky you might just see how Mother Nature can make life even harder at 11,000 - 12,000 feet.
Start running on Main Street (south) out of town and start climbing a gradual hill. At approximately 1 mile, turn left on a small gravel road at an intersection and head towards Webster Pass.
After climbing for about .65 miles the valley opens up and the road become more gradual (but rougher). At 3.6 miles, take a right at a fork in the road onto a smaller and rougher jeep trail. You are now above treeline and will stay above 12,000 feet for the next 6 miles.
The climbing soons gets steeper as you approach the climb to Radical Hill. The last 400 vertical feet, just past Cashier Mine, are quite steep, but with good views that you will sometimes share with the local Rocky Mountain Goats and 4WD off-roaders that frequent the area. Caution, in good snow years, you can still find yourself postholing this section in knee deep snow and avalanche debris through early summer (late June and July).
Once on top follow the, sometimes faint, jeep trail along the ridge to the southwest. You will come to several trail junctions along the ridge, stay high enough on the ridge and on the trail/road that continues over to Glacier Mountain (west). If the weather starts turning bad, you can always cut the run short here (there will be a jeep road on your right) and drop down below treeline into Deer Valley and back to Montezuma.
Continue along this jeep road eventually turning north until you get to General Teller Mine near the summit of Glacier Mountain. General Teller Mine (which is a great visual landmark) still has a wooden structure that is visible for quite a while above treeline.
Just after the mine, you will start to go back downhill into the Saints John Creek Valley, and you will drop below the treeline approximately 1.5 miles after passing the mine. Note - do not turn right on the faint trail after General Teller Mine. Instead take the trail that drops directly into the valley.
Once in the trees again, you will pass the Wild Irishman mining camp and it's few remaining buildings. Continue on the now very obvious dirt road down the valley to the ghost town of Saints John. Continue another mile down a steep hill with switchback to your car and Montezuma.
From Keystone Ski Resort free (gravel) parking lot, drive up Montezuma Road for approximately 6 miles until you get to the town of Montezuma. You will know when you get there because the road turns to gravel and there is a big wooden "welcome" sign over the road.
Park on the side of the road at the intersection of Main Street and Saints John Road (near the port-a-jon).
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